Container filling and closing machine



Nov. 27, 1962 T. E. PIAZZE 3,065,840

CONTAINER FILLING AND CLOSING MACHINE Original Filed May 20. 1957 n, H Ak \i' .5 I l L a F721 o o l l L/ I Cf/I1 ll I I 3 Nam Q LL10 l w a:llll-lllll w 2 J L z f 1 INVENI'OR.

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trite 3,065 840 @(DNTAINER FILLHNG A 9 D CLOSING MACHINE Thomas E.Piazze, Mount Vernon, Ohio, assignor to Convided and this applicationJan. 26, 1961, Ser. No. 85,043

7 Claims. (Cl. 198-26) This invention relates to packaging machines andis more particularly concerned with the improvements in a machine forreceiving a container formed of pliable sheet material from a containerforming machine, filling the container with a commodity, closing the topof the filled container and sealing the same.

This application is a division of my copending application Serial No.861,577, filed December 23, 1959, which is a division of applicationSerial No. 660,299, filed May 20, 1957, now Patent No. 2,952,959, datedSeptember 20, 1960.

It is a general object of the invention to provide a continuouslyoperating machine having a pocketed conveyor for receiving open toppedtube-like containers of pliable heat scalable material from a containermaking machine and for advancing the container beneath successivemechanisms positioned along the path of the conveyor for filling eachcontainer with a predetermined quantity of merchandise, for folding thetop portions of the end walls of the container to form a closure, andfor heat sealing the closed top.

It is a more specific object of the invention to provide a mechanism forreceiving successive pairs of open bags from a supply line and forproperly seating the bags in the pocket forming mandrels on thecontinuously operated conveyor of a bag filling and closing mechanism.

Another object of the invention is to provide in a container forming,filling and closing operation a method and means for transferringcontainers from an intermittently operating container fabricatingmachine in multiple side-by-side relation to upwardly opening containerreceiving pockets which are arranged in single file relation on thecontinuously traveling conveyor of a container filling and top closingand sealing machine.

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent from aconsideration of the mechanism which is shown by way of illustration inthe accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a partial elevation of the bag receiving side of the fillingand closing machine showing the bag transfer mechanism;

FIGURE 2 is a cross section taken on the line 22 of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary horizontal section taken on the line 3-3 ofFIGURE 2.

Referring to the drawings, there is illustrated a portion of a machinefor filling and closing a container of the square bottom type which isformed of heat scalable sheet or web material and which is delivered tothe machine in squared up or opened condition. The machine isparticularly adapted for use with a container fabricating machine of thetype in which a series of forming mandrels are carried in double linearrangement on an endless conveyor and sheets of relatively flexiblecontainer forming material are folded over the ends of the mandrels toform fiat bottom containers having vertical side seams. After thematerial is folded over the mandrels and the seams are formed, thecontainers are removed from the mandrels and delivered to the fillingand closing machine through a transfer mechanism in which the presentinvention is embodied. A suitable machine for fabricating the containersis disclosed in my copending application Serial No. 861,577, filedDecember 23, 1959.

The filling and closing machine includes a continuously driven endlessconveyor supported on a frame structure for movement in a horizontalplane and provided with a series of upwardly opening pocket formingmandrels in which the flat bottom containers or bags are adapted to bereceived from the container fabricating machine. The bag feeding ortransfer mechanism of the present invention is arranged at a stationalong the conveyor for delivering successive pairs of the bags inupwardly open relation into the mandrel pockets on the endless conveyor.

The machine comprises a generally rectangular upright supportingstructure 10 with a top frame comprising side rails 12 and suitableconnecting cross rails and brace members. The top frame is supported onbase forming upright side plate members 16 and 18 at opposite ends ofthe machine.

Mechanism for supporting and carrying the bags 23 is provided whichcomprises a bag carrying and supporting conveyor 25 mounted on the topframe of a supporting structure 10 for movement in a horizontal plane.The conveyor 25 comprises a pair of "vertically spaced end chains 26 and27 which are held in vertically spaced relation by pairs of brackets 49.The brackets 49 extend in spaced relation along the length of theconveyor 25 and carry upwardly opening pocket forming mandrel supporting assemblies '50, each of which is provided with an upwardlyopening mandrel 71 for receiving in supporting relation therein a bag23.

The empty bags shown at 23 (FIGURE 1) are supplied to the pocket formingmandrels 71 in pairsfrom a suitable source, preferably an intermittentlyoperating duplex bag making machine associated with the presentapparatus such as disclosed in my copending application Serial No.861,577. The bags 23 are delivered to the conveyor 25 at the stationindicated at A in FIGURE 3 through a transfer chute mechanism 80. Thebags are delivered to a vertical hopper 81 which is mounted on anupright frame 82 of inverted U-shaped configuration having the lowerends of the legs 83 spaced along and secured to the outer face of therear frame member 18 at the bag delivery station A. The hopper 81comprises a vertical front plate 84 and a back plate 85 with the backplate 85 having a rearwardly flared upper flange section 86. The hopper81 which is of generally rectangular cross section and open at the topand bottom is supported in forwardly extending relation on the uprightframe 82 so that the bottom end is positioned above and in verticalalignment with the open tops of the pocketed mandrels 71 which arecarried on the conveyor 25. The hopper 81 is divided into two separate,spaced bag receiving sections or passageways by vertically extendingchannel-like members 87, 87' positioned between the front and back Walls84 and 85 and spaced a distance apart corresponding to the spacing ofthe mandrels 71 on the conveyor 25. The hopper 81 is moved in a closedcircular path to deliver the bags two at a time to the pockets in thecontinuously advancing conveyor 25 beneath the same. The rear plate 85of the hopper 81 is provided with a pair of pivot pin members 88, 88'which are spaced in the longitudial direction of the machine andpivotally mounted in the ends of a pair of crank arms 89, 89' which arein turn secured on the inner ends of a pair of shaft members 90, 90',the latter being supported in bearing members 91, 91' secured in theupper cross or top plate 92 of the supporting frame 82. The operatingshafts 90', 90' each carry a gear 93, 93' at the outer end. The gears93, 93' are connected by an idler gear 94 mounted on a stub shaft 95 sothat the two gears 93, 93' rotate in the same direction to drive thecrank arms 89, 89' simultaneously in the same direction. One shaft 90has its outer end extended and receives a sprocket 96 which is connectedby a drive chain 97 with a sprocket 98 on the cross shaft 100 whichextends between the side frame members 17 and 18 which constitutes oneof the combination cam and drive shafts for the mechanism.

A suction device is associated with the conveyor at station A whichcomprises a suction box 102 having a portion 103 at the top whichextends through the plate 78 on the top frame of the supportingstructure and has a top plate 104 aligned beneath the path of themandrels 71 with an opening 105 so that suction is applied through theapertures in the bottom of the mandrels 71 as the latter slide over thesuction plate 104 to insure proper seating of the bags 23 therein. Thesuction box 102 is connected to a pump 106 which is driven by the motor107 and the entire mechanism is mounted on a cross frame structureextending between the side frame members of the machine.

I claim:

1. In a bag filling machine having an upright supporting frame and acontinuously moving horizontal conveyor provided with a series ofupwardly opening pocket forming bag receiving members, a mechanism fordelivering bags in succession into said bag receiving members comprisinga vertically extending frame having a pair of laterally spaced guidechutes adapted to receive successive pairs of bags therein, an uprightsupport for said frame, a pair of crank arms connected to said frame andmounted on parallel shafts journaled in said upright support, a drivemeans connected to one of said shafts, gears connecting said shafts forsimultaneous rotation in the same direction whereby to move said framein a closed circular path in a vertical plane above the line of travelof the pocket forming members on said conveyor in timed relation to themovement of the conveyor to align the lower ends of the guide chuteswith successive pairs of pockets on the conveyor for delivery of bagsinto the latter while the frame moves in the same direction and at thesame speed as the conveyor.

2. In a bag filling machine having an upright supporting frame and acontinuously moving horizontal conveyor provided with a series ofupwardly opening pocket forming bag receiving members, a mechanism fordelivering bags in succession into said pocket forming memberscomprising a vertically extending frame having spaced verticallydisposed guideways adapted to receive successive pairs of bags therein,said frame being mounted for movement in a closed path in a verticalplane with the lower portion of the path of movement thereof extendingabove the line of travel of said conveyor and over the pocket formingmembers on said conveyor and means for moving said frame in said path intimed relation to the movement of the conveyor to align the lower endsof the guideways with successive pairs of pocket forming members on theconveyor for delivery of the bags into the latter while the frame andthe conveyor are advancing in unison.

3. In a bag filling machine, an upright supporting frame, a continuouslymoving horizontal conveyor mounted on said frame and provided with aseries of upwardly opening pocket forming bag receiving members havingbottom openings, mechanism for delivering bags in succession into saidpocket forming members comprising a vertically extending guidewayforming frame adapted to receive successive bags therein, said framebeing mounted for movement in a closed path above the line of travel ofthe pocket forming members on said conveyor and means for moving saidframe in said path in timed relation to the movement of the conveyor toalign the lower end of the guideway above a pocket forming member on theconveyor for delivery of a bag into the latter during advance of theframe with the conveyor.

4. A method of transferring containers in multiples from anintermittently operating container fabricating machine to a single linecontinuously traveling pocketed conveyor which comprises advancing thecontainers in multiple side-by-side arrangement to a transfer positionabove the line of travel of the traveling conveyor, aligning thecontainers simultaneously with a corresponding number of pockets in theconveyor and depositing the containers in the pockets while moving thecontainers simultaneously in the same direction as the direction ofadvance of the conveyor.

5. A method of transferring a plurality of containers from anintermittently operating container fabricating machine to a conveyorwhich has a single line of upwardly opening container supporting pocketsand which is traveling continuously in a direction transversely of theline of travel of the containers as they leave the container fabricatingmachine, said method comprising moving the containers in multipleside-by-side relation to a point above the line of travel of theconveyor, aligning the containers with a corresponding number of pocketsin the conveyor and moving the containers simultaneously in thedirection of advance of the conveyor and downwardly into the pocketswhile applying suction to the bottom of the pockets thereby to depositthe containers in the pocket.

6. In a bag handling machine having an upright supporting frame and acontinuously moving horizontal conveyor provided with a series ofupwardly opening pocket forming bag receiving members, a mechanism fordelivering bags in succession into said pocket forming memberscomprising a vertically extending frame having a pair of laterallyspaced, open ended guide chutes adapted to receive successive pairs ofbags therein, an upright support for said frame, a pair of crank armsconnected to said frame and mounted on longitudinally spaced, parallelshafts journaled in said upright support, a drive means connected to oneof said shafts, gears connecting said shafts for simultaneous rotationin the same direction whereby to move said guide chutes in a closed,generally circular path above the line of travel of the pocket formingmembers on said conveyor in timed relation to the movement of theconveyor so as to align the lower ends of the guide chutes withsuccessive pairs of pockets on the conveyor for delivery of bags intothe latter at a predetermined point in each cycle of movement of theframe.

7. In a bag handling machine as recited in claim 6 and means forming avacuum chamber beneath the pocket forming members of the conveyor forapplying suction to the bags to seat the bags in the pocket formingmembers when the bags are delivered thereto from the guide chutes ofsaid transfer mechanism.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,860,761 Kocau Nov. 18, 1958

